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Season 14/15 Banter thread

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Comments

  • #1202
    granty1987
    Registered Users Posts: 291 ✭✭granty1987


    I had a great season I must say. Got two weeks in Whistler and 9 days in Livigno. Kiltiernan's Freestyle Fridays were at a ridiculously high level and I learned a lot of new tricks

    I missed the first few months of the KT season with a popped shoulder but i've more than made up for it

    Speaking of Livigno, we were there for this - un-be-li-ev-ab-le skiing and snowboarding



    Thinking of hitting the Les Deux Alpes glacier in the summer and ill be honing my Wakeboarding skills from now on in Wakedock - love that place


  • #1203
    Eurovisionmad
    Registered Users Posts: 1,160 ✭✭✭Eurovisionmad


    On that matter, what's Livigno like? Has anyone been there? Good for a group of college students next year? (AKA cheap & lively) Also with a wide-range of capabilities!


  • #1204
    a148pro
    Registered Users Posts: 2,204 ✭✭✭a148pro


    Lads, I just want to throw this out there - it may be warm outside, but I can't fcuking wait for it to be winter again

    You know that first cold evening at the end of autumn, it almost creeps up on you, you're surprised that your t-shirt isn't warm enough? That's when I feel it, that's when I'm back online looking for ski videos, that's when the plans (often mere fantasies) are laid.

    Lads and lasses, it's been a pleasure as always, if you're lucky enough to still get a few turns in, kudos, if not i'll see you in a few hopefully short months, that first night the t-shirt doesn't quite seem enough....


  • #1205
    fannymagee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭fannymagee


    HALLOWEEEEEENNNN!!! That's when I get itchy nostrils, the air has that lovely sharp cold :-)


  • #1206
    AlternateID
    Registered Users Posts: 941 ✭✭✭AlternateID


    fannymagee wrote: »
    HALLOWEEEEEENNNN!!! That's when I get itchy nostrils, the air has that lovely sharp cold :-)

    Got a bit chilly today. Knew exactly where I'd rather be.


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  • #1207
    a148pro
    Registered Users Posts: 2,204 ✭✭✭a148pro


    Well there is some talk of powder next week in Chamonix and flights are cheap....


  • #1208
    cormee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭cormee


    a148pro wrote: »
    Well there is some talk of powder next week in Chamonix and flights are cheap....

    Aren't the lifts closed? I thought they closed April 16th.


  • #1209
    Dr Nic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Whats the freestyle friday like in kilternan? Id love to give it a go but havent done any park stuff really. Would it be ok to head down as a boarder and check it out?


  • #1210
    a148pro
    Registered Users Posts: 2,204 ✭✭✭a148pro


    cormee wrote: »
    Aren't the lifts closed? I thought they closed April 16th.

    GM and AdeM still open, closing next Sunday, heavy snow predicted next midweek :eek::eek::eek:


  • #1211
    cormee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭cormee


    a148pro wrote: »
    GM and AdeM still open, closing next Sunday, heavy snow predicted next midweek :eek::eek::eek:

    My brother came back from a late-season trip to Chamonix about two weeks ago, sounds like he had a fantastic time.

    What I wouldn't give to do that red back down to the very bottom of Grand Montets, especially with some late afternoon, slushy moguls on it.


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  • #1212
    a148pro
    Registered Users Posts: 2,204 ✭✭✭a148pro


    cormee wrote: »

    What I wouldn't give to do that red back down to the very bottom of Grand Montets, especially with some late afternoon, slushy moguls on it.

    Ah, per the website that is closed for the season, skiing to mid station only I think though there is talk of snow down to 1000m next week


  • #1213
    granty1987
    Registered Users Posts: 291 ✭✭granty1987


    Eurovisionmad wrote: »
    On that matter, what's Livigno like? Has anyone been there? Good for a group of college students next year? (AKA cheap & lively) Also with a wide-range of capabilities!

    Livigno was the first resort I went to on a college trip - back then it was an Easter trip, so smaller numbers (around 80). You would need to fly to Bergamo with Ryanair (or Milan with Aerlingus) as I would say that would be a beast of a bus journey from the ferry!

    Really, really good resort. Its high up so the slopes are open til May and its fairly snow sure - I have been there three times, between the 3rd week in March to the 2nd week in April.

    The resort is quite long and is deceptively big - there are free shuttle buses for you to get around so that negates that issue.
    It is split between two sides of the Valley, Carosello on one side and Mottelino on the other.

    Carosello is bigger, and the majority of the slopes on this are south east facing so it gets a lot of sun, esp in the morning. big long slopes there with a long park filled with a kicker line and a box line - only downside is that it takes a while to lap it as you need to go down to the mid station of the gondolla to get back up. Beside it is the boarder cross course.
    At the bottom of the carosello side are plenty of beginner slopes on drag lifts and an amazing little park called Park Amerikan - everythings painted in the stripes n stars and there are a load of features - good for an afternoon.

    Mottelino is where I spend 90% of my time as I love the park there. It is rated as one of the best in Europe and gets better very year.
    The slopes on Mottelino are so wide its ridiculous, you could triverse for a few minutes on them without going off piste! Theyre great for getting some serious Euro Carve on and there is an abundance of Telemarkers and Alpine Snowboarders around so you know they're serious about carving! -seeing them in the parks is a little unnerving though

    I was at the Nine Knights Ski & Board competition this year, it is ridiculous... Just google it..

    There is a lot of apartments in Livigno, but not many apartment blocks ala France, so if there is a big uni group, then you will probably be split between different buildings. If you're DIYing it, just email the tourist board there and they reach out to the owners who will respond to you with a quote.

    I organised a private coach for the transfer from/to Bergamo which worked out cheap enough, communal buses are the same, and public transport is not really an option as you need a bus, two trains and another bus to get there.

    Food is cheap, typical Italian fare. Booze is cheaper as its tax free... about €4 for a liter of Smirnoff

    You should definitely do the Mountain Feast - they pick you up at the Carosello 3000 Gondola lift in skidoos, then you go get a heap of food and free wine for €40 - I learnt how to play the spoons at it, its now my party piece but I paid the price with cut up fingers and two bruises the size of coconuts on my legs

    In Spring, the weathers class there, loads of sun, a good chance of snow and many happy memories


  • #1214
    granty1987
    Registered Users Posts: 291 ✭✭granty1987


    Dr Nic wrote: »
    Whats the freestyle friday like in kilternan? Id love to give it a go but havent done any park stuff really. Would it be ok to head down as a boarder and check it out?

    Hey Dr Nic

    Unfortunitely the season has come to a close in Kiltiernan.

    You should definitely come up on Fridays if you want to learn a few bits and bobs. It has really taken off with the beginner slopes being redeveloped with Snowflex so there are no more broken fingers etc from the Dendex! This surface is heavily cushioned so its pretty hard to hurt yourself.

    There is usually a big group of skiers and snowboarders of mixed ability and it really is a brilliant environment for everyone to learn something new. There are kids aged in single digits trying jumps for the first time there, or there are older vintages going more technical and a lot bigger.

    I have been going to Kiltiernan for about 7 years and I would say that its definitely at its best now, the amount I have learned this year with the new features is ridiculous.

    Everyone there has started from the beginning and knows what works and what doesn't, so they can offer advice and most importantly of all, a bucket load of encouragement!

    Basically people arrive from about 7pm on Fridays, we take out the features and mess about on them until around 10pm. All that you need is a helmet and gloves - your own board/boots can help but you can use the rentals free of charge when you pay for your lift ticket.

    Presuming you have not been on this surface before, the biggest thing to get over is to give it time to adjust as its different from snow and people (myself included) can get frustrated with the simple things - like getting to the bottom of the slope with your dignity/ego in one piece. Basically you need to OVER EXAGGERATE your movements when turning, especially the shift of weight from toe edge to heel edge, the whole process is slower than snow .
    Once you get the hang of it you will be ready for the features.

    We have a 4m flatbox, a 6m circular rail, a 3m wavin pipe on the ground (our bread and butter feature), a larger corrugated wavin pipe, a kicker, and a few other features.

    But, now that its summer, we are migrating to Grand Canal Dock to Wakedock. I took up wakeboarding last year and loved it! it was basically snowboarding in the park but with practically no repercussions as you just land in water. Wakedock is operated not behind a boat, but it uses an overhead cable to pull you along - its a lot easier to learn and progress from than a boat and it offers you two kickers, a flat box and an A Frame (up flat down box). The movements and methods on these are almost identical to a snowpark so if you can do one, you almost certainly can do the other.

    Definitely come to Kiltiernan for Freestyle Fridays in September, in the mean time, check out Wakedock - its class


  • #1215
    cormee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭cormee


    a148pro wrote: »
    Ah, per the website that is closed for the season, skiing to mid station only I think though there is talk of snow down to 1000m next week

    21 cm yesterday according to Google Now


  • #1216
    Eurovisionmad
    Registered Users Posts: 1,160 ✭✭✭Eurovisionmad


    granty1987 wrote: »
    Livigno was the first resort I went to on a college trip - back then it was an Easter trip, so smaller numbers (around 80). You would need to fly to Bergamo with Ryanair (or Milan with Aerlingus) as I would say that would be a beast of a bus journey from the ferry!

    Really, really good resort. Its high up so the slopes are open til May and its fairly snow sure - I have been there three times, between the 3rd week in March to the 2nd week in April.

    The resort is quite long and is deceptively big - there are free shuttle buses for you to get around so that negates that issue.
    It is split between two sides of the Valley, Carosello on one side and Mottelino on the other.

    Carosello is bigger, and the majority of the slopes on this are south east facing so it gets a lot of sun, esp in the morning. big long slopes there with a long park filled with a kicker line and a box line - only downside is that it takes a while to lap it as you need to go down to the mid station of the gondolla to get back up. Beside it is the boarder cross course.
    At the bottom of the carosello side are plenty of beginner slopes on drag lifts and an amazing little park called Park Amerikan - everythings painted in the stripes n stars and there are a load of features - good for an afternoon.

    Mottelino is where I spend 90% of my time as I love the park there. It is rated as one of the best in Europe and gets better very year.
    The slopes on Mottelino are so wide its ridiculous, you could triverse for a few minutes on them without going off piste! Theyre great for getting some serious Euro Carve on and there is an abundance of Telemarkers and Alpine Snowboarders around so you know they're serious about carving! -seeing them in the parks is a little unnerving though

    I was at the Nine Knights Ski & Board competition this year, it is ridiculous... Just google it..

    There is a lot of apartments in Livigno, but not many apartment blocks ala France, so if there is a big uni group, then you will probably be split between different buildings. If you're DIYing it, just email the tourist board there and they reach out to the owners who will respond to you with a quote.

    I organised a private coach for the transfer from/to Bergamo which worked out cheap enough, communal buses are the same, and public transport is not really an option as you need a bus, two trains and another bus to get there.

    Food is cheap, typical Italian fare. Booze is cheaper as its tax free... about €4 for a liter of Smirnoff

    You should definitely do the Mountain Feast - they pick you up at the Carosello 3000 Gondola lift in skidoos, then you go get a heap of food and free wine for €40 - I learnt how to play the spoons at it, its now my party piece but I paid the price with cut up fingers and two bruises the size of coconuts on my legs

    In Spring, the weathers class there, loads of sun, a good chance of snow and many happy memories


    Thanks so much! We will most likely be a large group and go with Topflight (I can already hear the groans from the regulars on here, but having said that when we went this year to Andorra there was so many mishaps, illnesses & injuries you needed someone working full time to clean up the debris ;) )
    It sounds like it'll be a definite possibility though!


  • #1217
    Dr Nic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Lads whats the skiclub like to knock about in? i live in limerick/cork but might join as were in dublin every second weekend. Really want to work on the park stuff like friday night freestlye. is it still going?


  • #1218
    Seifer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,265 ✭✭✭Seifer


    Dr Nic wrote: »
    Lads whats the skiclub like to knock about in? i live in limerick/cork but might join as were in dublin every second weekend. Really want to work on the park stuff like friday night freestlye. is it still going?

    Read the post three above yours. The one directed to you...


  • #1219
    Dr Nic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Oops...missed it!


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